Widener University Acquires Taylor Memorial Arboretum

The arboretum will remain free and open to the public, and will expand environmental
research opportunities at Widener.

Widener University has acquired the Taylor Memorial Arboretum, a 30-acre reserve of
plantings and natural lands located about a mile north of the university in Nether
Providence Township. The arboretum will remain free and open to the public while providing
the university with greatly expanded opportunities for research and hands-on learning
in the environmental and biological sciences and science education.

The university acquired the arboretum, which has been held in trust since 1946, from
BNY Mellon. According to Widener President Julie E. Wollman, the arboretum will be
renamed the Taylor Arboretum at Widener University to ensure that the Taylor affiliation
and the original mission remain front and center.

“The Taylor Arboretum is a local treasure of natural beauty and Widener University
is dedicated to preserving the original intent of the trust to promote the health,
enjoyment and education of the public in perpetuity,” Wollman said. “In addition,
the arboretum will provide an exceptional setting to engage Widener students beyond
what they can achieve in a typical classroom or laboratory setting.”

The site of the arboretum was once part of a thousand acre land grant sold to John
Sharpless by William Penn in 1682. From 1740 to 1882, the grounds were part of an
industrial mill complex that produced lumber, grain and textiles. Joshua C. Taylor,
a Chester lawyer, purchased the property in 1914 and the arboretum was dedicated in
1931 to the memory of his wife, Anne Rulon Gray. The trust was established upon Taylor’s
death in 1946.

Most of the plant collections and specimens on the grounds were planted in the 1950s.
The arboretum includes champion trees including a Giant Dogwood, Korea Juniper and
a Lacebark Elm, which are the largest of their species in the state. The arboretum
also boasts mature collections of dogwoods, magnolias and hollies, and in recent years,
plants native to the region such as shadbush and viburnums have been planted. The
Ridley Creek borders the property, which is also home to a variety of wildlife native
to the area.

According to Dr. Stephen Madigosky, chair of the environmental science department
at Widener, the university has been utilizing the arboretum for environmental and
biological research for nearly 20 years. Faculty and students have researched the
various flora and fauna at the arboretum and have conducted several water quality
studies of the Ridley Creek.

“It’s a beautiful piece of property with unlimited research potential,” Madigosky
said. “With the arboretum as part of the university, it will open up a greater degree
of possibilities which is important when we are doing field related research.”

The university also plans on utilizing the arboretum to interface with the community
on citizen science projects, a new approach to engage with the community by providing
non-scientists with the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to scientific research.

“Taylor Arboretum at Widener University is a perfect place to institute such measures
and augment the university’s commitment to public service,” Madigosky said. “We believe
that Joshua Taylor would look very favorably upon what we have planned for the arboretum.
It is in line with what he had envisioned for the property so many years ago.”

The acquisition of the arboretum comes just weeks after the university announced the
purchase of a five-acre property in Costa Rica named CARES21 (short for Consortium
of Agro-ecological Research and Education for Sustainability for the 21st Century).
It will provide a base for existing projects and to develop new research in in one
of the world’s most bio-diverse countries. The university’s efforts in Costa Rica
have led to the creation of WU Brew, Widener’s own brand of environmentally friendly
coffee.

“With the Taylor Arboretum, CARES21 and WU Brew, Widener is providing students with
access to research, experiential learning and civic engagement opportunities that
simply aren’t available at most universities,” Wollman said. “Combine that with the
high-impact learning practices that are the focus of the curriculum, and Widener is
able to provide students with an unparalleled educational experience.”

The arboretum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is not to be confused with the
Tyler Arboretum, which is located further north in Media. For more information on
the Taylor Arboretum, visit www.taylorarboretum.org.

Widener University is a private, metropolitan university that connects curricula to
social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal
attention, leadership development and experiential learning are key components of
the Widener experience. A comprehensive doctorate-granting university, Widener comprises
eight schools and colleges that offer liberal arts and sciences, professional and
pre-professional curricula leading to associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral
degrees. The university’s campuses in Chester, Exton and Harrisburg, Pa., and Wilmington,
Del., are proud to be tobacco-free. Visit the university website, www.widener.edu.